Rockets @ Tri-City

September 8, 2009

OVERTIME

THE KELOWNA ROCKETS HAVE WON THE 2009 WHL CHAMPIONSHIP. TYSON BARRIE SCORED ON THE PP AT 8:13 OF OVERTIME TO SEAL THE SERIES WIN IN SIX GAMES.

Alex Plante gets called for hooking down Ian Duval at the eight minute mark. Kelowna will get a glorious opportunity with their 8th PP of the game. Coach, Ryan Huska, calls timeout to plan the attack.

Broda gets one whack at a loose puck in the crease, but, Guggenberger falls on the puck in time. 13 minutes left in overtime.

Tyler Myers has the first great chance to end it. He faked a shot, walked past a fallen Calgary forward and drilled a high drive. Martin Jones' 44th save of the night, a lightning quick glove save, might have been his best.

THIRD PERIOD

Overtime will decide tonights game, shots 44-25 for Kelowna at the end of regulation.

Benn came within an ace of tipping Tysen Dowzak's shot home. Cody Sylvester came close at one end and Backlund could not beat Jones on a breakaway at the other. Final minute of regulation.

Tension mounts as Lucas Bloodoff gets a slashing penalty at 12:09. Joel Broda ties it up after a bad bounce leaves him with an easy tap in. 7:03 left to go.

Crazy bounce nearly does the Rockets in. Somehow, Guggenberger manages to fall on the puck before it could go over the line. 10:07 left.

Almond comes out of the box and makes an unbelievable play to go around a lone defender and in alone on Jones. He faked a back hand deke and pulled the puck back to his forehand. But, he just failed to tap it home.

During the four on four, Backlund and Duval both have great chances to score but a bouncing puck does them in.

Cody Almond drew a roughing minor after a scrum as the second period horn sounded. Teams will start the period four on four before the Hitmen will enjoy a man advantage after 46 seconds.

SECOND PERIOD

Guggenberger just made a great right pad save on Tomas Karpov to preserve the one-goal Kelowna lead.

Lucas Bloodoff puts the Rockets ahead as he converts a Benn pass at 13:33. Again, video review was used but ruled that Bloodoff did not kick the puck in.

Captain, Colin Long, ties it up on the power play with a screened shot from the left wing circle at 11:43. Long's 4th of the post season is set up by Barrie and Backlund.

Ian Duval had a wide open net after some nifty passing by Long and Almond. But, Ian Schultz knocked the net off its moorings in the nic of time. Schultz goes to the box as a result. Rockets need a goal, trailing 1-0.

Kelowna can't cash on a power play set up by Paul Postma's holding penalty. 1-0 Calgary with 9 minute to go.

Benn and the Rockets breath a big sigh of relief as they escape the penalty without suffering on the scoresheet.

Carson McMillan gets a hooking penalty, teams are four on four for 1:20 before Calgary will go back on the PP for 1:33.

Michael Stone nailed Backlund with a thundering hit at the Kelowna blue line. Jamie Benn jumped to his team mate's defense but gets a double minor for roughing to put Calgary on a four minute PP.

Calgary will have 1:20 of power play time to start the period. Mikael Backlund was called for delay of the game at 19:19 of the first when his clearing attempt went over the glass.

FIRST PERIOD

Jones stops Backlund and then Tyson Barrie in the waning moments of the period. Shots now 14-8 for Kelowna.

Rockets kill off the penalty. Kyle St. Denis speeds in, makes a shimmy in the slot, but fires a wrister inches high. 4 minutes left in the period.

While falling, Guggenberger somehow stops Schultz from the bottom of the left wing circle.

Lucas Bloodoff's roughing minor puts the Hitmen back on the PP. Shots are 12-4 Kelowna but Calgary still leads 1-0.

Video judge rules it NO GOAL. The net was dislodged prior to Myers' shot going in. 11:30 left in the first.

Bostjan Golicic scores a pretty breakaway goal, shorthanded to make it 1-0 Calgary. Rockets have scored to tie it on the same power play but the net may have been dislodged beforehand. Video review underway.

Rockets go on the power play after Ian Schultz' highsticking penalty. Tyler Myers and Backlund test Jones who comes up with two big saves.

Ian Duval steals shorthanded and forces Jones to make a right pad save. Benn and Mitchell Callahan go off on two on one rush, but Callahan's pass doesn't get across.

Mikael Backlund takes an interference penalty at 2:23 to set up an early Calgary power play.

Both teams have chances to score in the opening minute. Carson McMillan nearly jammed one past Mark Guggenberger. At the other end, Martin Jones, somehow stopped Evan Bloodoff's shot with Ryley Grantham screening in front.

PREGAME

The Rockets just hit the ice to a loud ovation from the home crowd. Opening face-off is just minutes away.

Both Jamie Benn and Kyle St. Denis are back in the Kelowna line-up for critical game six of WHL Championship Series. Rockets can win the series with a victory tonight. They lead 3-2, but the Hitmen have won the last 2 after falling behind 3 games to none.